Travelling is magnificent. The most pure state of being. You wish you could do it more often. If only...

What? If only what? If you only had the time? Newsflash: Every single soul on this planet has the exact same 24 hours in a day, somewhere along the way you just decided to spend it differently. No, not your boss, you: Slavery is quite thankfully added to the dark tales of the past, am I correct? But, if you only had the ‘opportunity’?And by that, you mean by some sheer luck the National Geographic Traveller finds you sitting on your couch and decides you are the one they need to travel the world for them and tweet some travel pics along the way? Unless you’re Paris Hilton, to most of us opportunities usually don’t randomly blow our way. They’re created by making an effort to reach a certain goal.

No, no, if you only had the cash! The dough! Those crispy Benjamins! That’s the reason why you can’t travel! Fair enough.

But what if I told you that you don’t need a lot of money, that travelling is mostly free if you want it to be?

If you can afford life in general, you can afford a travelling life as well. If you wonder who the hell is talking: Me, a backpacker on the road for over four years now without ever having had the need to enter an office to sweat out some dollars... My secret: You don’t have to earn what you don’t spend. A penny saved is a penny earned.

Let’s demonstrate my case with the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia.

Transportation

First of all, you need to get there. Maybe you’re abroad, which means you have to buy a flight. Agreed, that’s a cost hard to avoid, but a pain less felt when using tools such as Skyscanner. I found flights for €200 from Mexico to Amsterdam, for €100 from Belgium to New York and for €50 from Malaysia to South Korea... the golden rule to stick with is usually: “If you see a price you’re excited about, book it immediately – don’t wait until tomorrow or even postpone it for an hour, it will be most definitely gone.” Always browse incognito, as those bastards save cookies of your previous searches and will pump up the price when you try the same search again. If you’re already in Asia, budget airlines such as Air Asia or (the crappier) Scoot will offer fares cheaper than a bus ride (very much like Ryanair or WizzAir in Europe), and are always cheapest when bought directly on their own websites.

But imagine you are already in Malaysia or not far across the land borders... well, then you won’t have to pay a dime. As a woman that has hitchhiked the planet all alone I can confirm Malaysia is without doubt one of the safest and easiest countries to try it in. Locals are eager to take you along for a ride and listen to the stories of a foreigner, which they will understand, as Malaysian people are fluent in English. Be warned: You run the risk of getting trapped into eternal friendships!

Once in the Cameron Highlands, your loyal legs will bring you anywhere. In fact, that’s the main attraction of this region.

Alternatives: If your mom’s words still echo through your conscience and you’re having a hard time trusting strangers: Buses are jaw-dropping inexpensive in Malaysia... it’s South East Asia after all. For them fancy minibuses you have to dig a tad deeper into that wallet, which is why it’s better avoided. Families or travelling groups (4-5) can be even cheaper off with a rental car compared to buying separate bus tickets. I found the cheapest deals on this website.

Accommodation

Yes, we’re young and wild and free... but sleeping under the stars and bathing in a river sounds cooler than actually walking the talk (in my humble opinion). It also sounds highly unnecessary, as you can pitch your tent for free at the public campsites in Sungai Pauh, Kuala Woh and even at the peak of Gunung Brinchan.

If you prefer a roof over a tarp, have a look at that awesome thing called Couchsurfing. Locals do welcome strangers into their house and offer them a free space to sleep (anything from a spot on the floor to a private bungalow), shower and cook... Yes, the world is that kind. Your mom was wrong.

I’ve been active within this network for nearly a decade now, and not once was I robbed, betrayed or assaulted. True, there are some men confusing Couchsurfing with Tinder, but they’re easily filtered out. Last time I checked (September ’18) there were 61 hosts in Cameron Highlands, so go get them tiger! Also regularly have a peek at Housesitting-websites, full of people offering to leave their house and pets in your care during their absence in exchange for free accommodation (This link gives you 20% off a yearly discount on Trusted Housesitters, just saying). Or try WorkAway, if you’re happy to work in exchange for a roof and a full plate.​Alternatives: If you really can’t suppress the urge to splurge on some shelter, I have some discount links for you to limit the damage. This link gives you 15 euros / 72 ringgit off Booking.com, and this one 25 euros / 120 ringgit off your first Air BnB stay. You’re welcome.

Photos of my recent housesits... not bad ‘ey?

Food

A (wo)man’s gotta eat. But isn’t that always the case? Indeed, you will have to spend some funds on those hearty meals, but you have to do so as well when you’re not travelling. The trick is to not spend more than you would do on a normal day ‘at home’... or preferably: less. I’m a big sucker for markets, which are besides cheap ‘n healthy food Walhallas (I’m a happy vegan) also a sublime manifestation of local culture. Cameron Highlands has two, the Kea Farm Open Air Market and one in Brinchang.

In case you don’t have a kitchen available, stick to local dishes to keep a lid on the food expenses. Generally, if a menu is written in English, also tourist prices apply. When it comes to food, you won’t regret going local, as the Malay cuisine is absolutely knee-weakening delicious.

Check my blogs about the food scenes of Melaka and Penang for food suggestions. For details on markets and local food, check the Free Budget Fact Sheet at the beginning of this article.

(Free) Activities

Travelling is by all means a time investment. You not just go all the way to a place on the other side of the world and then watch others have all the fun as you’re officially declared bankrupt. Well, in the Cameron Highlands, the best things are free:

You can’t say you’ve been to the Cameron Highlands without having tightened up those boots for a rigorous hike. And the good news is: the climate is nice and cool here due to the high elevation, unlike the sweat-fests in the rest of the country. The main trails are numbered from 1 to 10 and can be easily combined into a full day challenge. Work hard and thou shalt be rewarded, as our good pal J once said in a totally different context (I think)... the Earth’s greatest green splendour lies there to be discovered for the ones that enter the forests to look for it. The rolling slopes that form the Cameron Highlands are one lush feast for the eyes! Make sure to not miss out on the Mossy Forest (tourist-alert), Gunung Brinchan, Gunung Irau and Mount Berembun.

Tip: Most trails can be found on the Maps.me app that works on GPS.Warning: I mentioned some important safety notions on one trail in the Free Budget Fact Sheet. Travel safe!

What I just claimed about hikes, goes for tea plantations as well. Cameron Highlands = tea, there’s no way around it. My stingy ears recently received the news that the Cameron Bharat tea estate dares to charge tourists for entering their fields, which simply draws all attention to the competition: The Boh tea plantation opens their doors for free to all visitors. If you want to spend some money on a fragrant cup is all up to you.

I couldn’t resist...

If you’re ready to go full-eco, you can go even deeper with some visits to lavender gardens, rose valleys, water crest plantations, cactus gardens or one of the numerous strawberry farms. Generally, if you don’t buy anything it’s a free outing, only few charge admission. [Links can be found in the Free Budget Fact Sheet – scroll up]. Just make sure you skip on the Butterfly Farm, unless you really despise those darned flying creatures and want to see them die a depressing, dreadful death (and pay for it).

Checked it all off? Then zen up with the last freebie on the list: the Sam Poh Temple.

“Hummmmm, I travelled the Cameron Highlands for free, hummmmm”​

You know how I never really return to a country (before I’ve seen them all)? Well... I visited Malaysia three times! Yes, it’s that good. I’ve been all over the place and have some great advice on places to visit (and to avoid). Check out the Malaysia Page and start planning your next trip!

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